Desna
History Desna is an ancient goddess of freedom and luck, and is credited with the creation of the heavens. In her earliest days the god Curchanus, an enemy of the goddess Lamashtu, was her mentor. Lamashtu laid a trap for Curchanus and stripped him of his beast domain, ripping it from his godly essence. As he died he gifted Desna with the domain of travel; she has traveled the planes and worlds since, opposing both oppression and Lamashtu wherever she encounters them, and spreading her word while making an effort to experience new wonders when she can. Appearance Desna is a goddess often described as a beautiful Elven woman, with butterfly wings containing all the beauty of a clear night sky. She is often depicted as having dark hair, silvery eyes, and a coy but distant smile, wearing diaphanous gowns and sometimes accompanied by swarms of butterflies. Relationships Desna is strongly opposed to Lamashtu due to the murder of Desna's one-time mentor, and wishes to reclaim the domain of beasts. She also actively hunts the demigod Ghlaunder, who legends claim she freed during one of her many travels. Cayden Cailean is known to be suitor of hers, but she keeps aloof of most godly affairs; past traumas and her desire for freedom lead her into fewer interactions with other deities and their faiths than most. She is known to have good relations with Sarenrae and Shelyn, and to oppose both Rovagug and Zon-Kuthon for control of the night, which she wishes to be a time of wonder and beauty. Church The church of Desna has few temples to its name, and its priests rarely settle in a single location. The faithful of the Great Dreamer can be found on the roads of Golarion, among those who call the roads and beauty of the wilderness home. Servants Worshipers and Clergy Desna is the goddess of travel and journeys, and there are few who traverse the roads who wouldn't spare her a prayer or a simple-worded plea for benediction. Scouts, sailors, and those who travel for travel's sake make up a large amount of her following, though her domain of luck also makes her a favorite deity among gamblers and thieves. The informal clergy of Desna is primarily composed of clerics, though on occasion bards are called by some song or whisper in the night to follow her path. In addition, spherewalkers are paragons of the Desnan ideal of seeing new sights each day and finding locales unheard of but often dreamed of. The individuals that comprise the clergy usually garb themselves in white robes and silk caps, emphasized by varied decorative elements and usually accompanied by one or more starknives. Unique Servants Nightspear This black and silver spotted avoral is a fierce ally of the Desnan clergy, and often sings in battle Sorrowbrand A dramatic lillend composer with black, star-dappled scales and feathers, Sorrowbrand wears many black ribbons and enjoys inspiring mortal songs The Night Monarch Appearing as a massive butterfly-like creature the size of a dragon, the night monarch is the herald of Desna. Temples and Shrines Temples of Desna are few and far between, with most locations dedicated to the goddess being no more than roadside shrines erected in her honor; her faithful often leave markings and dedications in newly discovered areas and secluded locales. Those few temples that do exist often serve as observatories and are as open to the night sky as possible. Holy Texts The Eight Scrolls The Eight Scrolls is the name given to the main holy text of the goddess Desna. It is comprised of eight brief scrolls that contain all the doctrine of the church, along with her earliest history: her dealings with the other gods, how she discovered her powers, and how she fixed the stars to the heavens. The fifth scroll deals with how mortals should behave, but is written with enough internal contradictions that it sparks much discussion among the faithful. The clergy of Desna generally will accept most interpretations of the text, as long as they don't veer off too far from standard practices and teachings. The deity's informality is reflected in the fact that the Eight Scrolls are short enough to easily fit into two scroll cases (one if the transcriber's handwriting is small enough). Shrine Wall Writings Almost all Desnan shrines are covered with the observations and prayers of travelers and priests of her faith, containing the wisdom of the road and hints for the start of new journeys. Holidays Ritual of Stardust On both the winter and summer solstices, when the fires burn low the faithful throw stardust into the embers and make wishes and pledges for the months to come Swallowtail Festival Every year on the first day of the month of September, the followers of Desna release cages full of swallowtail butterflies, an act that honors a story told by the faithful. Presence on Fynn The worship of Desna is most prevalent in the city of Valleygate, as the city is essentially at the midway point between the Moonkin Republic and the Federation of Free States and thus is a common place for travelers to stop. Category:Goddess Category:Religion Category:Chaotic Category:Good Category:Deity